Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to a piezoelectric lighter which not only avoids the heat of the flame to the user's actuating finger but also minimizes the components of the lighter to simplify the assembling process of the lighter.
Description of Related Arts
Utility lighters are generally categorized into cigarette lighters and barbecue lighters. A conventional cigarette lighter, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a lighter housing having a liquefied fuel storage, a gas nozzle extended to a ceiling of the lighter housing and communicating with the liquefied fuel storage for controlling a flow of gas, a piezoelectric unit disposed in the lighter housing for generating sparks when the piezoelectric unit is depressed, and an ignition button slidably mounted on the lighter housing, and a windshield coupled on the ceiling of the lighter housing to encircle around an exit opening of the gas nozzle. Accordingly, when the ignition button is depressed downwardly, the piezoelectric unit is depressed while the gas is released from the liquefied fuel storage to the gas nozzle and is ignited by the sparks.
The problem of the existing cigarette lighter is that the cigarette lighter requires different engaging mechanisms to incorporate with different components. For example, the cigarette lighter includes a sliding mechanism to ensure the sliding movement of the ignition button with respect to the lighter housing, an attaching engagement between the piezoelectric unit and the lighter housing, and a coupling mechanism to ensure the securing engagement between the windshield and the lighter housing.
The windshield has several functions of protecting the exit opening of the gas nozzle, providing a windproof ability of the ignited flame, and dissipating heat from the flame. However, when the lighter is ignited, the windshield will be heated by the flame. If the windshield is made of plastic, the windshield will be melted by the flame. Therefore, the windshield is preferred to be made of metal to prevent the melting of the windshield. However, since the ignition button is located adjacent to the windshield, the generated flame will heat the windshield and the heat will also dissipate from the windshield to the ignition button that may scald the user's finger. It is worth mentioning that the flame generated at the exit opening of the gas nozzle will be encircled by the windshield, such that it is difficult for the user to light up a cigarette or the like when the cigarette is positioned away from the exit opening of the gas nozzle.
Another problem of the existing cigarette lighter is that the assembling process thereof is complicated. All the components must be precisely installed into the lighter casing at different locations via the engaging mechanisms. If one of the engaging mechanisms is defected, the components cannot be correctly installed and the lighter will not be properly functioned. Therefore, the cigarette lighter must be pre-installed for storage and transportation. In other words, the cigarette lighter may be accidentally ignited or gas leakage during transportation or assembling process by simply actuating the ignition button.
As it is mentioned above, the barbecue lighter generally comprises the same components of the cigarette lighter, wherein the barbecue lighter further comprises an elongated nozzle tube extended from the lighter housing, such that the exit opening of the gas nozzle is extended to a free end of the nozzle tube. Therefore, the barbecue lighter is commonly used at home such as pilot light for stoves or outdoor activities such as fireplaces or camping since the barbecue lighter can provide a father ignition distance via the nozzle tube comparing with the cigarette lighter.